Baby and toddler sunglasses

ABSTRACT

Baby and toddler sunglasses comprising frames having lenses. The frames are secured around the user&#39;s head by a band. The band is secured to the frames by a securing piece.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/004,218 which is a divisional of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/695,613 filed Oct. 28, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to baby and toddler sunglasses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parents try everything to protect their babies and children from theeffects of the sun. They are always putting sunscreen on their children,but how do you protect your child's eyes. Babies and toddlers do notwant to where sunglasses, and can just remove them after they are placedon the child by the parent.

Eyewear is used for either protective, prosthetic or aesthetic purposes.Eyeglasses consist of a transparent portion encased in a frame that fitsaround a user's eyes. The transparent portion may be optically inert orinclude corrective lenses to improve vision. The glasses may be darkenedand coated with a radiation filtering film for comfort and protectionfrom sunlight. Frames vary in shape and material.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,500 relates to a headband with a lens piece.Incorporated within the headband are a pair of cutouts and a retainerpocket for insertion and retention of a lens piece. The lens piececomprises a pair of eyeglasses with temple pieces removed. A fabricsection with a pair of cutouts is attached to the bottom edge of theheadband forming the retainer pocket. The headband encircles the head ofthe wearer and fastens adjustably with releasably cooperating fastener.

U.S. Pat. Nos. D466,543, D432,556, D178,328 and D450,744 relate todifferent designs for eyewear, sunglasses and eye goggles.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,110,332 relates to a facial protective device. Thedevice is arranged to engage against the face of the wearer andparticularly the portions across under the eyes, is aperspiration-absorbent pad, i.e., a sheet having openings for vision andadapted to lie under the goggle cups.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,094 relates to eyewear with prosthetic parts forsmall children. A rigid shatterproof lens portion is encased in a paddedand pliable frame that is strapped around the baby's head. Nose andtemple pieces are incorporated into the frame to provide support for theframe on the baby's face in the absence of the normally supportive bonestructure of adults.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,710 relates to sunglasses for infants and smallchildren formed of a lens-defining member made of a thin flexiblelight-transmitting plastic material of a sun-protective composition orcolor. The lens-defining member has opposite projecting tabs to whichflexible extendable strips are attached for supporting the sunglasses onthe head of the wearer. A frame made of a soft flexible plastic foammaterial and having two superimposed frame members of substantially thesame shape is formed by affixing each frame member to a respective faceof the lens member.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,002 relates to a eye and ear protective eyewearcomprising a standard pair of conventional reading glasses, prescriptionglasses, safety glasses or sunglasses to which a pair of wind deflectingdeflectors are attached to the lenses and/or frame and extend rearwardfrom the lenses towards the ear. The deflectors are configured andarranged to deflect air flow away from the ear.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,847 relates to a device to protect the wearer's nosefrom sunlight, to be attached to glasses or goggles. The device isconstructed from a single piece of flexible, creasable sheet material,and has a nose shield and a strap extending from the top of the noseshield. The strap is looped over the bridge of the eyewear and threadedthrough an aperture at the top of the nose shield.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,119 relates to an eye protection device comprising afoam rubber-like resilient insert member. There are apertures in thedevice for receipt of the lenses and frame of a pair of eyeglasses.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,156 relates to glasses with color switchablemulti-layered lenses. The glasses are for blocking harmful radiation andinclude a rim connected to temples. The rim contains a photosensor, acolor-changing switch, a dry cell power source, solar cells and anelectronic driver unit and an electronic circuit. The color-switchablelenses comprise glass plates, and conductive layers and colorpolarizers, alignment layers, a neutral polarizer, and liquid crystallayers.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,303 relates to spectacles having adjustable templesand ear engaging members. The spectacles can be adjusted to accommodatethe size and contour requirements of any wearer and includes an eyeshield attached to an eye shield frame. The eye shield frame has agroove for receiving a coin or similar object which is used to forciblydislodge the shield from the shield frame to allow for replacement ofthe shield.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,677 relates to spectacles having a retaining strapwith connect earplugs. The device includes an eyeglass retainer forholding eyeglasses on the user's head or around the neck, and earplugsconnected to the retainer for protecting the user's hearing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,702 relates to a structure for providing adecorative pattern over the surface of sunglasses, the structurecombining a positive decorative pattern on a first layer, a reflectivelayer, and a third layer incorporating a negative decorative pattern.The decorative pattern is readily apparent to an observer, but thenegative pattern cancels the image for the wearer who then sees only auniform color or hue that does not interfere with the vision of theuser.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,370 relates to multi-component eyewear. Its featuresinclude a 180 degree reflex spring hinge, a sway hinge mechanism thatallows the temples to be independently adjusted to improve comfort andfit of the eyewear behind the ears, a strap-pad designed to fitdifferent shaped and sized noses and be positioned for wearer comfort.The device further comprises a frame and lens construction that allowsfor modularity by the easy removal and replacement of the lens, temples,tops of frames, and nose pieces; and accessories that can be added tothe eyewear to provide a greater degree of comfort and to protect theface from ultraviolet radiation and the wind.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,635 relates decorative eyeglasses having alens-carrying frame and temple pieces mounted to the lens carryingframe, the temple pieces including a temple block hinged to the frame,ear pieces, and, between the block and the ear pieces, a segment mountedon the hinge block, but rotatably mounted with respect to the frame. Therotatable section can be made in various shapes, or imprinted withvarious different decorations on different sides, or made varicolored.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,320 relates to protective eyewear having a unitarybrow bar with temples and flexible molded hinges. The temples may beadjusted in length. The frame includes integrally molded flexible hingeswhich allow the temples to collapse. A unitary spherical lens isselectively attached to the frame and can be adapted to wrap around theforehead of the user's temples and include a nose bridge for supportingthe lens on the user's nose. A stabilizing strip may be used to hold theframe and lens in place when the eyewear is assembled.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,846 relates to a headset and eyewear combinationcomprising a headset adapted to cover the ears of a user and having aportion of a fastener on the exterior surface of the headset. Eyewear isselectively secured to the exterior portion of the headset with acomplimentary portion of the fastener. The eyewear is maintained overthe face of the user by means of flexible temples.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,697 relates to a pliable sun shield accessory foreyeglasses which includes a pliable elongated tubular member which isformed with a longitudinal slit. The slit allows the elongated tubularmember to be splayed apart for positioning over the top portion of theeyeglasses.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,372 relates to a light weight, compact remountableelectronic display device for eyeglasses or other eye frames. The deviceattaches to eyewear having a deadborne frame to provide an image from animage display superposed on the ambient image. The display device has ahousing which removably mounts to the head-borne frame at a locationoutside of a user's field of view. An electronic imaging assembly issupported by the housing assembly outside of the user's field of viewand in communication with circuitry within the housing assembly toproduce an image. An optical element is provided comprising atransparent fixture supporting an eyepiece assembly in front of a user'seye. The transparent fixture is located to receive the image from theelectronic imaging assembly and relays the image to the eyepieceassembly, which directs the image to the user's eye.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,689 relates to a mechanism for protecting the eyesfrom the sun that allows a user's temples and face to be exposedcompletely to the sun by providing a mechanism that includes asunshield, having a sun-protection factor, an arm attached to astationary object for selectively positioning and maintaining thesun-shield in front of the eyes, and a mechanism for varying the sunprotection factor.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,059 relates to hat fasteners for eyeglasses. Theinvention relates to safety glass holders and eyeglass holders forsecuring to hats or fabric comprising a wedge shaped design, a clip ondesign and a fastening design. The fastening design comprises a framesecured to the insides of a hat, first and second elastic cord or pinpenetrating the hat and secured to the frame, and a strip disposedbetween the first and second elastic cords or pins for holding the armof a pair of safety glasses.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,227 relates to an earplug system for storing anddispensing earplugs to an individual. The earplug system includes aconnector formed for removably connecting to the distal ends of the armsof glasses, a recoil device attached to the connector, a length of cordstored within and dispensed from the recoil device, and an earplugattached to the cord.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,216 relates to a hear speak two-way voice radiocommunications eyeglasses. The eyeglasses include a radio receiver, aradio transmitter, power supply, antenna and earphones. The receiver,transmitter, power supply, and antenna are within the bow pieces.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,001 relates to an eyeglass interface system whichintegrates interface systems within eyewear. The system includes adisplay assembly and one or more audio and/or video assemblies mountedto an eyeglass frame. The display assembly is mounted to one temple andprovides an image which can be viewed by the user. The audio or videoassembly is mounted to the other temple and is in communication with thedisplay assembly. The system may comprise a camera assembly, and/or anaudio input or output assembly, such as a microphone and/or speakers. Ahead tracking assembly may be provided to track the position of theuser's head. The system can comprise a telephone system, pager system orsurveillance system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,367 relates to wearable audio system with acousticmodules. The acoustic modules are adapted to be worn on the head of awearer, such as with a headband, or fastened to a hat or eyeglasses. Themodules are situated on opposite sides of the wearer's head, adjacentthe ears, and each contains a transducer, an outlet port, and a ventport. The audio system is connected to, or in communication with, aconventional source of audio signals, such as radio, tape player, CDplayer, cellular telephone, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to baby and toddler sunglasses. It is anobject of the present invention for the sunglasses to have a band whichcan be adjusted to fit different sized heads. It is an object of thepresent invention for the sunglasses to have a single Velcro strap whichcloses the glasses around the user's head. It is an object of thepresent invention for the strap to be removable from the frames andinterchangeable with other straps. It is an object of the presentinvention for the strap to be attached to the frames with two pieces ofVelcro at each end of the strap. It is an object of the presentinvention for the straps to have a loop which fits over a pole, which isattached to the frames. It is an object of the present invention for thebands to be attached to the frames with either Velcro, clips, formfitting, so that the bands can be removed and interchanged with otherbands.

It is an object of the present invention for the frames to include asound chip. It is an object of the present invention for the band toinclude a sound chip. It is an object of the present invention for thebands to have lights attached to them. It is an object of the presentinvention for the frames to have lights attached to them. It is anobject of the present invention for the lights to be turned on and offby the user. It is an object of the present invention for the frames toglow in the dark. It is an object of the present invention for the bandsto glow in the dark. It is an object of the present invention to providea covering for the babies or toddler's ears which is attached to theframes or bands. It is an object of the present invention to attach ahead piece to the sunglasses.

It is an object of the present invention to add figures to the side ofthe frames, including flowers, animals, sports items, and cartooncharacters. It is an object of the present invention to add rhinestonesaround the frames. It is an object of the present invention to place alogo on the band or frames. It is an object of the present invention tohave the lenses of the glasses be colored. It is an object of thepresent invention for the lenses to be removable from the frames andinterchanged with other lenses. It is an object of the present inventionfor the color of the lenses to match the color of the band.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the sunglasses on theuser;

FIG. 2 is a cut out view of FIG. 1 showing a sound chip in the frames ofthe sunglasses;

FIG. 3 is a back view of an embodiment showing a sound chip in theheadband of the sunglasses;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an embodiment of the sunglasses on theuser;

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an embodiment of the sunglasses on theuser;

FIG. 6 is a back view of an embodiment of the sunglasses;

FIG. 7 is a back view of an embodiment of the sunglasses;

FIG. 8 is a front view showing an embodiment of the sunglasses on theuser;

FIG. 9 is a front view showing an embodiment of the sunglasses on theuser;

FIG. 10 is a side view showing an embodiment of the attachment mechanismof the sunglasses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 4 are placedaround the user's head. The sunglasses comprise frames 6 having lenses8, which are secured around the user's head by band 10. The band 10 issecured to the frames 6 by a securing piece 12. In FIG. 1, Velcro isused as the securing piece. FIG. 2 is a cut out view of FIG. 1 showingsound chip 14 attached to frames 6. In a preferred embodiment the soundchip can be removed and replaced with other sound chips. Each sound chipcan be used to play a different children's melody. In a furtherembodiment, a radio can be placed in the sunglasses. In a furtherembodiment an ear piece can be attached to the sunglasses so that thesounds can only be heard by the wearer of the sunglasses.

FIG. 3 shows the band 10 of the sunglasses 4. Here, sound chip 14 isplaced within band 10. In one embodiment the bands 10 can be removedfrom the frames 6 and replaced with other bands, which have other soundchips, which play other children's melodies.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 20 are placedaround the users head. The sunglasses comprise frames 26 having lenses28, which are secured around the users head by band 30. Ear covering 32is attached to band 30 on each side of the user's head to cover theuser's ears.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 40 are placedaround the users head. The sunglasses comprise frames 46 having lenses48, which are secured around the users head by band 50. Headpiece 52 issecured to band 50 and covers the user's head.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 60 compriseframes 62 having lenses 64, which are secured around the users head byband 66. The band 66 is secured to the frames 62 by a securing piece 68.The securing piece shown in FIG. 6 is Velcro. The securing piece 68 canbe adjusted to fit the users head. Stickers and other paraphernalia canbe attached to the back of the band 66. This paraphernalia can includenames of the user wearing the sunglasses and other embellishments.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 80 compriseframes 82 having lenses 84, which are secured around the users head byband 86. In this embodiment, band 86 is secured to the frames 82 bysecuring pieces 88 and 90. In FIG. 7, Velcro is used for both securingpieces 88 and 90. In this embodiment the bands can be totally removedfrom the frames and replaced with other similar bands. FIG. 7 shows theback of the band comprising the shape of circles. Stickers 92 can beplaced on the back of the band. Sound chip or radio 94 is placed insideband 86.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an embodiment wherein the sunglasses 100 areplaced around the users head. The sunglasses comprise frames 102 havinglenses 104, which are secured around the users head by band 106. Theband 106 is secured to the frames 102 by a securing piece 108. Theframes contain lights 110, which are shown in the off position in FIG. 8and in the on position in FIG. 9. Band 106 comprises a mesh piece 112,which is placed on the back of the users head. The mesh piece assists inproviding air to the back of the users head. The mesh piece 112 alsoassists in providing comfort to the user.

FIG. 10 shows an attachment mechanism of the sunglasses. Band 120 has aloop 122, which fits over a pin 124, which is attached to the frame 126.

1. Baby and toddler sunglasses comprising: frames having lenses; saidframes secured around the user's head by a band; said band secured tosaid frames by a securing piece; said sunglasses having a sound chip. 2.The sunglasses of claim 1 wherein said sound chip is attached to saidframes.
 3. The sunglasses of claim 2 wherein said sound chip can beremoved and replaced with other sound chips.
 4. The sunglasses of claim2 wherein said sound chip can play different children's melodies.
 5. Thesunglasses of claim 1 wherein said sound chip is replaced with a radio.6. The sunglasses of claim 1 wherein said sunglasses further comprise anear piece.
 7. The sunglasses of claim 7 wherein said band is removedfrom said frames and replaced with other bands, which have other soundchips, which play other children's melodies.